With the advent of urban motorized transportation, and the increased cost of labor, there has arisen a urgent need for almost automatic application of lubricants to the flanges of rail transportation vehicles, in order to prevent the oscillations of high frequency, (making annoying sounds) due to the twisting of the axle and subsequent sudden release of the twist, as a curved rail is negotiated when the wheel-flange-rim-friction is overcome. This is specially true for solid two wheel axle units, which in turn, is due to the difference in length of the outer and inner track of the curve.
The use of a, vehicle mounted self regulating, lubricating system designed for steel-rail transit cars is old in the art. Some of the prior systems claim that they allow the entire stick of lubricant to wear away. In actual fact this is not correct. One of these systems employs a stick of lubricant that is provided within the stick, a non-lubricant bolt receiver, (for stick lubricant attachment purposes) which is imbedded in and made part of the lubricant stick. This bolt receiver and bolt end, if allowed, by lubricant stick wearing, to contact the wheel flange, would scar and damage that wheel flange, and also prevent the complete use of the lubricant stick.
Generally the use of spring loaded applicator stick systems, operate to press one end of the lubricator block or stick thru a holder, and against the moving wheel flange. The anti wear and anti friction agents are activated by the heat of friction between the polymer or plastic carrier components of the stick and the wheel flange, and it is this action of the friction between the wheel flange and the lubricant carrying stick that causes a thin film containing the lubricant to be delivered to, and coat a specific lubricant stripe on, the flange of the wheel.
Man generally has had a desire to simplify and improve the quality of the equipment that he is required to use from time to time and this desire usually results in the creation and disclosure of new and unobvious structures to effect improved functioning of the said equipment and make other useful innovations.
Quite a number of applicator assemblies and stick lubricants have been disclosed in the art, and some of them have even been patented. Each design and structure DISCLOSED in the past has certain advantages, and examples of some of these are shown in the U.S. Patents listed below:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,582, STRUGGHOLD
U.S. Pat. No. 2,326,000, TEEPLE
U.S. Pat. No. 1,185,682, KIRKEGARD
U.S. Pat. No. 1,102,473, CHAPPELL
Glidestar system--using DURAFILM.TM. produced by DURAFILM COORPORATION, 321 16th Ave. S, Seattle, Wash. 98144.
Each of the above has some disadvantage and thus suffers from comparison, considering the purposes and desired functions of the subject invention.